POLL DANCING – AT 12:17 P.M. ET:  There were deep and profound predictions that President Obama would get a big boost in the polls once health-care "reform" was passed, and Americans understood the brilliance of the man.  Has it come true?  The Politico reports:

Democrats who held out hopes that President Barack Obama’s health reform win would mean a quick boost to the party’s political fortunes are getting a reality check – a reminder that it takes more than one good week to shake up a year of sliding polls.

Obama and his health reform plan did get a bump in several surveys immediately after the House vote eight days ago – but the numbers in some of those polls flattened out, showing how difficult it will be for Obama to capitalize on reform, even after his top legislative goal cleared Congress.

“It helped a little bit, but I think it’s within the margin of error,” said Peter Brown of the Quinnipiac Poll, which recorded a slight drop in disapproval of Obama after the bill passed. “The Democrats said the American people will grow to love this. We’ll find out. At this point, they’re not exactly jumping up and down.”

COMMENT:   I don't underestimate Obama a bit.  He's a first-class campaigner, if nothing else.  (Well, nothing else.)  But he won't rebuild his popularity on unpopular schemes.  I think what we're seeing in his failure to enjoy a sustained bounce is a certain skepticism toward the man personally, a skepticism that has grown as he's revealed himself to be a pretty conventional big-city politician with a silver tongue.  The halo is gone.  I think part of the trust is gone as well.

March 30, 2010